Campaigning kayaker Steve Posselt will be paddling upstream in his mission to draw attention to the "follies" of the Victorian Government in building the north-south pipeline.

He intends to paddle and walk from the Murray River to Melbourne to protest the pipeline.

Starting August 1, the author and engineer will paddle from the Murray River, up the Goulburn to Yea and then pull his kayak over the Great Divide to the Yarra River where he will cruise downstream to Melbourne.

While he faces an upstream battle on the water he is also aware that the government is already building the pipeline and there's not much chance of them stopping.

But he also says that Melbourne people don't have to use it.

"I want to get the message across to city people," Mr Posselt said.

"Almost as much rain falls on Melbourne as Melbourne uses and what are we doing about that?

"When there is not enough water to go round, no amount of large-scale engineering will get us out of trouble. In fact, it usually makes things worse.

"Please have a heart Melbourne.

"Don't let the government steal this precious water The river needs it. We have alternatives - the river does not."

Posselt has previously paddled and dragged his kayak from Brisbane to Adelaide - along the entire Darling and lower Murray rivers, documented in his book Cry Me A River.

Posselt feels similarly passionate against the Brumby Government's north-south pipeline.

Beginning in Echuca on August 1, riverboats will provide a send-off for Posselt and during his journey he will stop at Shepparton, Murchison, Nagambie, Seymour and the site of the pumps at Killingworth near Yea.

"There are areas of the Goulburn where I expect to have to pull the kayak out and walk because of fast water. But I've done that plenty of times before."

He faces a 65 km walk pulling his kayak on wheels between Killingworth and Yarra Glen.

His trip is being supported by Plug the Pipe, Watermark Australia and Friends of the Earth.

His expected schedule is:

Departing Echuca, 10 am, August 1. Arriving Shepparton at 4.30 pm on August 5, arriving Murchison at noon on August 7, arriving Nagambie at noon on August 8, arriving Seymour at 3 pm on August 9, arriving Killingworth at 4 pm on August 11, arriving Yarra Glen at 5 pm on August 13, arriving Federation Square, at 1 pm on August 16.

He expects to have updates on his journey on his website www.kayak4earth.com